Cougar Microbes

Brooklyn miserablists The National returned in 2010 with their fifth studio album. Cougar associate Ruby was quick to add it to her list saying:

It almost feels like cheating for featuring this like everyone else, particularly when it has been such a good year for breaking new acts. It’s comparable to the feeling you get when Federer wins a Grand Slam; great, but can someone else get look in?

Anyways, regardless of this notion ‘High Violet’ is an incredible album and should be rightly commended.  ‘Bloodbuzz Ohio’ is a genuine “reeler” pulling you in for 4 minutes and 36 seconds and within that time you haven’t moved, you haven’t drifted, you’ve done very little else but listen…. and that is rare.

Elsewhere the band continue to show their flair for warped and low-fi melodies and of course those earthy deep rich vocals that sound like they have the knowledge of wisdom of 1,000 years engraved in them is practically poetry.

There is so much emotion and agony expressed that the rare uplifting moments seen in tracks such as ‘Anyone’s Ghost’ are vital in providing us with a welcome break from the rest of the album’s intensity.

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‘The National’ have thoroughly earned their title and, like Federer, this album should be seeded at the top.

TRACKS:

NEXT: #12 Cougar Microbes Top Albums of 2010: The Morning Benders – Big Echo

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One Eyed Jacks were never going to be boring with a name inspired by David Lynch‘s seminal Twin Peaks series. Having recently released their debut EP ‘In Memory…‘ the boys are now taking on a bunch of live dates around England including a recent Proud Galleries show.

When the London quintet are firing on all cylinders they can bring to mind an amalgamation of The Coral and The National and even a bit of early Radiohead.

Sombre tones and layered guitars are slowly unveiled in dream like crescendos offering to take the listener on a sonic journey. Strap yourself in.

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The Kissaway Trial had seemingly gone missing since I saw them at Wireless Festival and subsequently wrote this glowing review.

The above statement is not strictly true as over the last few years the Danish 5-piece have been silently honing their sound and sharing stages with artists as diverse as Sigur Ros, Editors and Passion Pit.

The band are gearing up for a return in 2010 with a new album titled ‘Sleep Mountain’, out on Bella Union, that triumphantly builds on the foundations laid down for their 2007 self-titled debut.

The first song to be unleashed from the upcoming release is the stomping ‘SDP’’ with its six-minutes of buoyant energy.  Fans of the bands previous output will draw parallels gems like ‘61’ and the awesome ‘Smother + Evil = Hurt’ and the trademark dual vocals are still at the forefront. Producer Peter Katis’ work with Interpol and The National may well have rubbed off on The Kissaway Trail because they look and sound more focussed than ever before.

‘Sleep Mountain‘ may well be one of the releases to look forward to in 2010.

TRACKS:

The Kissaway Trail – SDP